By Frankie Ifop, Calabar
The Pink Africa Foundation (PAF) has on the 4th of October provided free oral healthcare services to over one thousand, five hundred (1500) students across schools in Cross River State.
Dr. Nchiewi Ani, PAF founder said the unalloyed exercise was to mark the 2018 Whole Smile Day.
According to her, the theme for this PAF campaign was tagged: ‘Whole School, Whole Community Oral Health Initiative’. She added that, “The aim of the campaign was to make oral health a priority for students, who would become our ambassadors and to their families and community tomorrow”.
Speaking during the exercise, the Cross River State Commissioner for Health, Dr. Inyang Asibong lauded PAF for the initiative, adding that, “this activity is the first of its kind, and it is aimed at improving access to oral healthcare for children and families in the state.”
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Dr. Asibong further encouraged the pupils to maintain good oral hygiene always as it’ll boost their health status as well as get rid of infections that enters the body inadvertently through the mouth.
Dr. Inyang Asibong, Cross River State Commissioner for Health (2nd Left); Dr. Nchiewi Ani, Founder, Pink Africa Foundation (2nd Right)
The students were educated by qualified Dentists on basic oral care, prevention and treatment of common oral diseases and later screened for common oral diseases. Incidental cases of Dental caries, Cysts and periodontal diseases were referred to the Dental clinical of the University of Calabar Teaching hospital, UCTH for further management.
Free Pepsodent toothpaste and tooth brushes were also distributed to all the Pupils and Teachers present – courtesy of Pepsodent, Unilever Nigeria (Gold sponsors).
The Exercise was in collaboration with the Cross River State Ministry of Health, Dental Department, UCTH and Nigeria Medical Association, Cross River State chapter. Others are, CRBC, Female Leadership Forum and Students of the Faculty of Dentistry, University of Calabar.
The beneficiary schools include, West African Peoples Institute (WAPI), Federal Airport Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) Secondary School, and other schools within the Calabar metropolis.
See pictures from the exercise below…
